I have a wet/dry with a sump, the tank is drilled at the bottom on both corners. Returns and overlfows are not glued to the bulkheads. Recently while fiddling with the plumbing on one of my returns I accidently pulled it out of the bulkhead. The pump was on so no problem and I stuck the tube back into the bulkhead. I have a couple concerns. First, I use sand as substrate. I am wondering if I now have some sand particles trapped between the bulkhead and the base of the return tube. Second worry - Do return tubes every just pop out of their bulkheads? Seems there is quite a bit of force from the water being pumped up into the return, then hitting the 90 degree elbow at the top. Would some kind of check valve between the bulkhead and the pump be a good idea?
can return tube pop out of its bulkhead?
- Thread starter muddybob
- Start date
I wouldn't think that you would have a problem with them coming out. Could you post a picture of how you overflows are setup?
Check valves never hurt.
Check valves never hurt.
I use the rule: If water can flow through it; clamp it, glue it or screw it.
I've had tubing and PVC pop off various places on my tanks before and it sucks. Now, any piping that carries water either out of a bulkhead or over the rim of my tank is either screwed together with teflon tape on the threads, PVC glued in place or clamped with a hose clamp.
I've had tubing and PVC pop off various places on my tanks before and it sucks. Now, any piping that carries water either out of a bulkhead or over the rim of my tank is either screwed together with teflon tape on the threads, PVC glued in place or clamped with a hose clamp.
I'm not worried about the overflow but rather the return. The return is a 3/4" PVC pipe stuck in a bulkhead on the bottom of the tank (both corners). I talked to two aquarium shops in the area and they don't think it is a problem and that they never glue their returns (or overflows). I guess I was just thinking that the pressure from the pump hitting that 90 degree elbow at the top of the return could eventually push it out of the bulkhead. If that has happened to anyone, I'd like to know.
I would say that the possibility is always there. Pressure would assure this, but I wouldn't necessarily worry about it. If youare truley worried about it, glue them in place.
thats just
ive had glued and clamped things leak,so whats stopping something not glued or clamped from leaking? lol
a slight leak at the return bulkhead would not matter as there is positive pressure from the pump. In fact I just changed the return tubing in one corner and when I pull the return tube out of the bulkhead, the water continues to flow up into the tank. Just don't turn the pump off when the tube is out or you will have a flood. My only concern was whether or not the force of water coming from the pump might some day dislodge the return tube from the bulkhead. It has never happened to me, but I was just wondering.
I'd glue or silicone it personally. My bulkhead for my return is up around the waterline on the back wall so I don't have to worry about leakage really but the pvc return has popped out of the bulkhead in the past, either from pump pressure or my fish (or both).